Gators Slime Men in Black on Halloween

The game was over as soon as the Georgia Bulldogs needed the helmet gimmick to get motivated.

Actually, the silly uniforms had nothing to do with this game. Turnovers and penalties characterized Georgia’s self-destruction.

However, I hope that we never see the black helmets ever again. What is so obvious is the stupidity and immaturity in putting emphasis on the uniforms instead of coaching and performance.

Even after a long bye week.

Georgia appeared to be mourning for their on funeral Saturday in Jacksonville. No tricks and no treats, at least for Bulldog nation.

Similarly to the demolishing by Alabama in the 2008 season when the Bulldogs wore black jerseys, the silly gimmick of wearing black helmets and black pants, with white jerseys, did not overshadow the lack of self-discipline which produced several penalties and critical turnovers.

The black pants were okay, but the black helmets needed more red. If it wasn’t for the wide white stripe in the middle, the helmets would have looked liked bowling balls and similar to the helmets worn by the Atlanta Falcons.

Georgia would be better off wearing the Oregon Ducks uniforms for Halloween.  To paraphrase Daffy Duck, UGA was “despicable!”  Quack! Quack!

Being the last day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Bulldogs could have decked out in pink.

Practicing self-control and self-discipline, executing plays, and emphasizing fundamentals rather than wearing black uniforms would have served the Bulldogs well today.

The mediocre Georgia Bulldogs (4-4, 3-3) lost for the third time in four games.

Breaking a record held by Herschel Walker, Tim Tebow accounted for four touchdowns.  The obvious difference is that it took Tebow four years with an extra regular season game per season and a couple of SEC title games to break a record in which Walker accomplished in three seasons.

A.J. Jones had two huge interceptions and top-ranked Florida spooked and spanked Georgia 41-17 Saturday for its 17th win in the past 20 meetings between the SEC rivals.

Florida (8-0, 6-0) continued the nation's longest winning streak to 18 games and clinched at least a share of the SEC East title.

The Gators can secure a spot in the conference title game if Tennessee (in black jerseys) beats South Carolina Saturday night in Knoxville in the Halloween Bowl (just kidding, fans of Volunteers and Gamecocks).

Is Joe Cox pointing to the next Gator he’s throwing to? Just joking.

Whatever Joe Cox had at Independence High in Charlotte, he’s lost at Georgia. Bench him for the season and start building for the 2010 season.

P.S. Please fire defensive coordinator Martinez.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,Florida Gators,college football,sports

Quote of the Day:
Nothing is too high for a man to reach, but he must climb with care and confidence.
--Hans Christian Andersen

1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Will UGA Ever Win a National Title with Mark Richt?

 

Were actress Helen Hunt and coach Mark Richt separated at birth?

UGA was dominated by Tennessee, 45-19, Saturday in college football. The Bulldogs' defense surrendered 45 points to a one-dimensional offense.

The Volunteers have a good RB this season. Somehow GA made Vols QB Crompton look like Peyton Manning.

The Bulldogs have clearly have mostly underachieved since the strong finish of the 2007 season with the Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii. The Bulldogs look more like FSU with each game.

Did Mark Richt peak at Georgia around 2005-2006?  Has recruiting, especially on defense, gone downhill in recent years? Remember when GA's defense used to go after the ball to create turnovers?

Georgia's defensive coaches seem like they do not have the unit prepared well for a game and have the defenders out of position for significant plays.

Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt? Is he too nice to finish No. 1? Steve Spurrier needed six seasons at Florida to win a national championship and it didn’t happen until he hired Bob Stoops from Kansas State to coordinate the Gator defense.

Richt is a great human being and role model, but in terms of competing for a BCS national title, he has blown a few opportunities in the past. Under his leadership the UGA football program has certainly improved. However, many are starting to believe he has taken the program as far as he is capable.

In my opinion, Richt hasn’t failed so much as he has been unlucky. LSU won the 2003 BCS crown with one loss a year after one loss cost Georgia a berth in the championship game. LSU won the 2007 title with two losses after emerging from a league that also housed Georgia, which likewise had two losses.

Sometimes you have the right team at the wrong time.

Georgia should not fire Mark Richt unless they have another coach who is significantly better waiting. There are not a whole lot of coaches out there that are better than Mark Richt.

Coaches like Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Les Miles, Urban Meyer, Butch Davis, Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, etc., are not beating a path to Georgia’s door.

When Bobby Bowden retires at FSU, will Richt be offered the Seminoles' head coaching job? And if this is offered, will he accept?

Technorati Tags: Mark Richt,Georgia Bulldogs

Quote of the Day:
There should be no yelling in the home unless there is a fire.
--David Oman McKay

Proverbs 19:20-21 “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

The NFL Today – Week Three

 

• Michael Vick rejoins NFL today: Eagles' QB, armed with Wildcat offense, to play for the first time since 2006.
• Saints QB Drew Brees is now the best QB of the NFL.
• Tom Brady still needs to shake off a little rust after being inured last year.
• Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, just nearing the end of his career.
• Tony Romo still cannot win the big game.
• Ben Roethlisberger can pump fake while taking a hit.
• The Carolina Panthers obviously made a very big mistake this offseason when they signed quarterback Jake Delhomme to a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension.
• Despite the defeats, the Detroit Lions show small steps of improvement.
• Are the Cincinnati Bengals better than expected?
• Will the Atlanta Falcons “upset” the New England Patriots?
• Sunday night’s matchup with the Colts and the Cardinals may be an instant classic with the pair of QBs – Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning.
• Will my Carolina Panthers finally play with passion, urgency, and intensity in Dallas Monday night?

Speaking of my Panthers, Carolina has begun the season at 0-2 and have a very difficult schedule the rest of the season. With road games at Dallas, Arizona, New Orleans, the New York Jets, New England Patriots. and the New York Giants, this team could be on its way to a having a disastrous  season.

There are also some tough home games against Atlanta, Miami, Minnesota, and New Orleans. Too bad they traded their first draft pick for 2010 away.

Yes, the Panthers traded their first round pick in the 2010 draft in order to move up to select Florida State defensive end Everette Brown in 2009. Brown is a great draftee but for a team in dire need of a playmaker QB, it was a very significant mistake to trade away their top pick in a draft, that could include top quarterbacks Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Jevan Snead, Jake Locker, and Tim Tebow

Maybe they will be able to trade DE Julius Peppers to get a first round pick back.

If Carolina has a horrible season, I would expect John Fox to be fired, paving the way for Bill Cowher.

A. horrendous 2-14 or 3-13 record in 2009 for Carolina is not out of the question. The Panthers should defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two wins.

Perhaps Carolina will outlast the Buffalo Bills too. That makes three wins. Thus, to even had a 6-10 record, the team has to upset three teams.

From 12-4 to 2-14 or 4-12 or whatever.  The Bucs should prevent the Panthers from going from first to worst.

And Monday night versus Dallas at the new Cowboys Stadium in front of 105,000 fans?  Tony Romo will have a big night and Jerry Jones will smile as he lands his first victory at his grand football palace.

Cowboys 31, Panthers 23, as Carolina falls to 0-3.

Technorati Tags: NFL,Carolina Panthers,Drew Brees,sports

Saturday’s Ups and Downs of College Football

 

First, Saturday night at Sanford Stadium in Athens was another down-to-the-wire battle, with No. 21 Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC) rallying for a 20-17 victory over Arizona State (2-1). Three Bulldogs turnovers kept the game winnable for the Sun Devils.

However, Georgia avoided an upset thanks to a 22-yard field goal by Blair Walsh that tied the score early in the fourth quarter, a blocked field goal by A.J. Green that kept it 17-17 with less than five minutes left in regulation, and climaxed by Walsh’s 37-yarder that wrapped things up as time expired.

Georgia faces LSU next week.  Will LSU be caught looking head to their meeting with Florida the following week?

Speaking of the Gators, the biggest story from Saturday’s football games, of course, was the Tebow injury as Florida’s journey towards a  third national title in four seasons may become derailed if an injury to senior quarterback Tim Tebow suffered during Saturday's 41-7 victory at Kentucky proves to be serious.

Tebow was sacked in the third quarter by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndhan. Tebow was hit in the chest by Wyndham and as he fell backwards, he banged his head on the knee of Florida tackle Marcus Gilbert.

Also on college football Saturday, Iowa defeated Penn State 21-10 at Beaver Stadium, which featured a “white out” and more than 100,000 fans.  With the road victory, Iowa has to be considered a legitimate Big Ten title contender, which is hard for me to believe considering how close Iowa came to losing its opener to FCS member Northern Iowa.

The loss drops Penn State from among the ranks of national title contenders as the Big Ten does not have one.

Penn State's loss concluded a wild weekend that witnessed three teams in the top six and four in the top ten lose. In addition to No. 5 Penn State, No. 4 Mississippi lost Thursday to South Carolina, No. 6 California was dominated by Oregon, and – I do not consider this an upset - No. 9 Miami bowed to No. 11 Virginia Tech.

And the Seminoles flopped.  Last week, Florida State looked fantastic in compiling 500 yards and destroying Brigham Young University 54-28. In start contrast Saturday, the FSU got spanked at home 17-7 by its small neighbor, South Florida.

At this point, early in the season, here are the teams that I like. No team is playing thoroughly at a high level in every phase of the game than the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama has a dominating defense and a surprising offense behind quarterback Greg McElroy.

The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs are the best non-BCS/non-big six team in the country. TCU has a quality win over Clemson and their victory over Virginia is debatable as a quality win or not.  The Horned Frogs can enhance their credibility by defeating both BYU and Utah.

Teams such as Cincinnati and Michigan are grabbing by attention and interest.

LSU has work to do, but they may develop into a potential threat to Alabama. Their next two games versus Georgia and Florida should define their potential.

Let’s talk about Virginia Tech who has had two impressive wins in two weeks. Last week, the Hokies used late-game, Tyrod Taylor miracles to snag win over Nebraska and this week, No. 11 Virginia Tech needed no miracles as they simply manhandled No. 9 Miami, 31-7.

Virginia Tech is clearly the ACC's top team. 

In conclusion, I return to my Georgia Bulldogs.

The game against LSU features a battle between first-year starting quarterbacks. Jordan Jefferson leads the Tigers and Joe Cox leads the Bulldogs. LSU is unbeaten but Georgia has a loss, which makes this a must-win game at home.

 

Technorati Tags: college football,NCAA Football,Georgia Bulldogs,sports

Quote of the Day:
The bananas were like that when I got here!
--Humpty Dumpty

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

NFL Gameday: Panthers at Falcons

Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for quarterback Jake Delhomme and Coach John Fox?  Are Carolina’s swagger and confidence becoming unglued?

One poor game may be an accident.  Two very bad games in a row is a trend.  Three consecutive pitiful performances is a significant problem.

If a fourth straight horrible performance by the starting quarterback is allowed, than the head coach’s decision-making, sanity, judgment, and job-security are all under the microscope.

"I'd like to erase any doubts," stated Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme after his Week 1 loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles. "I don't think they have any. I really don't think they do. But I'd like to erase them if there are any at all this weekend."

Jake Delhomme may produce an emotional comeback performance from last week’s disaster, but it is more of an issue of competence and confidence with him.

Tony Gonzalez has strategically changed pass defense against the Falcons.

"Tony makes it pretty easy for a quarterback," stated Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan about newly acquired tight end Tony Gonzalez. "I just try to put the ball in a spot where he can make a play on it, and he always seems to do that."

This game is absolutely critical for the Carolina Panthers, who cannot afford another early conference loss if they want to keep their playoff potential. It will be difficult against an Atlanta defense that looked both tougher and quicker than last year in nearly shutting out the  Miami Dolphins.

Atlanta defeated Miami 19-7 for their first win of the 2009 season. QB Matt Ryan struggled early, but endured and finished with 229 yards passing and two touchdowns after completing 22 of 36 passes. 

RB Michael Turner had 22 carries for 65 yards and TE Tony Gonzalez grabbed five catches for 73 yards. Nine of the Falcons' 19 points came off Dolphins turnovers.

In his last pair of games, Delhomme has been very sloppy and committed 12 turnovers. Jake Delhomme is a turnover machine and the Atlanta defense will have a field day.

Is there a quarterback rating below 0?

After the Philadelphia Eagles defense piled up 35 fantasy football points vs. the Panthers, fantasy football players everywhere rushed to add the Falcons defense for NFL season week 2.

Despite the dramatic number of turnovers by Jake, the Panthers offensive line shares the blame by providing very little pass protection.

Carolina lost to Philadelphia 38-10. QB Jake Delhomme pitched 7 of 17 passes for 73 yards. He threw his third interception of the game on the Panthers' opening possession of the second half.

RB DeAngelo Williams had 14 carries for 37 yards with one TD, while catching four passes for 42 yards.

My forecast is not good for Carolina as Atlanta rolls to a 30-17 divisional win. 

Will this loss be the beginning of the end for both Jake Delhomme and Coach John Fox in Charlotte?

Stay tuned. Same Panther-time.  Same Panther-channel.

 

Technorati Tags: Carolina Panthers,Atlanta Falcons,NFC South,NFC,NFL

Georgia Bulldogs at Arkansas Razorbacks

 

On Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs (1-1, 1-0 SEC) travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0, 0-0 SEC). The Bulldogs are coming off of an entertaining 41-37 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Arkansas Razorbacks have only played one game this year, a 48-10 win over Missouri State.  The game will be televised by ESPN at 7:45 p.m. ET.

Georgia holds a 8-3 overall series lead against Arkansas. Georgia Georgia has won 5 in a row over the Razorbacks. Georgia has lost 0 games against Arkansas in Fayetteville. In their last matchup, Georgia beat Arkansas 23-20 in Athens in 2005.

The Razorbacks are 6-7 under Bobby Petrino.

The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-for-6 in the Red Zone through two games of the 2009 season.

I see a rerun of the Georgia-South Carolina game. Both offenses will light up the scoreboard.

The Bulldogs are 24-4 in SEC opponent stadiums under Coach Mark Richt. Last season, Georgia was 4-0 on the road in conference games, including a 52-38 victory over No. 11 LSU. In fact, the Bulldogs are on a five game road SEC winning streak.

My pick-em is Georgia 38, Arkansas 34.

 

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,Arkansas Razorbacks,SEC,college football,NCAA football

Quote of the Day:
Vegetarian is an old Indian word meaning bad hunter.
--Anonymous

Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Opening NFL Weekend Highlights Include Returns of Brady and Favre

 

NFL drama, I mean – action, returns in full swing today.

Today QB Brett Favre makes his regular season debut in purple (purple cheesehead?) when his Minnesota Vikings visit Cleveland for the matchup vs. the Browns.  The Dog Pound in Cleveland will be barking loudly.

I pick Vikings over Browns.

Speaking of dogs, the Philadelphia Eagles will be Michael Vick-less but not hound-free when traveling to Charlotte in an encounter with the Carolina Panthers.  Today’s QB Scrutiny Bowl shares snaps between Donovan McNabb and Jake Delhomme.

These pair of QBs’ inconsistencies have been very well chronicled and both will continue to be hounded today if they don’t play well.  Well, the QB of today’s winner will buy himself another week.

Eagles over Panthers.

The Tony Dungy-less Indianapolis Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars, who no longer are considered a serious playoff contender.  Coaches have changed but QB Peyton Manning remains the same, which is excellent news for the Colts.

Colts over Jaguars is my pick.

Prolific passer Drew Brees and his New Orleans Saints host the revised Detroit Lions, with rookie QB Matthew Stafford starting.  The Lions haven’t won since two days before Christmas 2007.

Saints over Lions.

Another starting QB, Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets, makes his debut in Houston vs. the Texans today. DE Mario Williams and teammates will give Sanchez his official “Welcome to the NFL!”

I pick Texans over Jets.

Miami at Atlanta, in my mind, is a marquee matchup of two resurgent teams, who made but lost in round one of the playoffs a season ago.  Both teams have upgrade their talent but the Dolphins has the better defense.

I pick Dolphins over Falcons.

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to Baltimore for their football game vs. the Ravens.  QB Matt Cassel faces the fierce Ravens defense and Ray Lewis will be in his face all day.

Ravens over Chiefs is my pick.

The Dallas Cowboys visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for their tune-up for their huge debut game in Cowboys Stadium, featuring their monster video scoreboard.  The Cowboys will be working on offensive chemistry between QB Tony Romo and his WRs, while the Bucs’ offense will be struggling.

Cowboys over Buccaneers.

In today’s “who cares” matchup, enlisting the St. Louis Rams at the Seattle Seahawks, head coaches Jim Mora, Jr., and Steve Spagnuolo, respectively, make their debuts for their teams. 

Jim Mora, of course, has previous head coaching experience with the Atlanta Falcons. Spagnuolo does not have the defensive talent he had with Giants to work with.

My pick is Seahawks over Rams. 

My wish is that both teams redesign their uniforms and colors. But don’t bother, for only a few will be watching.

The NFC defending champions, the Arizona Cardinals, may have their hands full today in a contest featuring Mike Singletary’s debut as full-time head coach. This game almost smells upset, but I dare not go against QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Cardinals over 49rs is my pick.

Today’s games also features a matchup between the New York Giants, last season’s NFC East Division winners, vs. the Washington Redskins, the best fourth place team of the league.  The Redskins have a solid defense with an inconsistent offense. 

The Giants no longer have WR Plaxico Burress but rookie WR Hakeem Nicks was the No. 1 NFL WR during preseason in terms of statistics. Oh-oh.  Who maintains and keeps up with irrelevant preseason stats?

Giants over Redskins is my pick.

Both Chicago and Green Bay appear to be improved and stronger at the start of the 2009 season. The QB matchup of Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rogers should be very fun to witness tonight. 

I think that the Packers will edge the Bears at Lambeau Field.

After tearing ligaments in his left knee in the season opener of the 2008 season, QB Tom Brady, after hours upon hours of rehabilitation,  leads his New England Patriots into Buffalo for a contest against the Bills Monday night.

My pick is Patriots over Browns.

And oh yeah, their is a second NFL Monday night game; The San Diego Chargers at the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders are one of two NFL franchises – the other being the Dolphins – whose home fields feature MLB infield dirt. 

That should be outlawed! You’re out!!!

Duh. Chargers over Raiders.

Technorati Tags: NFL,2009 NFL Season,football,sports

 

Quote of the Day:
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
--Anonymous

1 Peter 3:8“ [Suffering for Doing Good] Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Georgia QB Cox confirms shoulder problems

 

ESPN.com reports that Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Joe Cox confirms shoulder problems. However, Cox is focused on playing through his injury.

Sophomore quarterback Logan Gray reportedly worked a lot of reps with the first team in this week’s practices.   Expect coach Mark Richt to deploy a two-quarterback system versus the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight.

Cox was shaky and threw the ball without any zip (two words: hang time) in the opening loss at Oklahoma State but he said the injury has not affected his arm strength. His biggest problem in the opener was the flu, which caused him to lose nine pounds.

Cox said he is completely over his illness now.

Today may be Cox’s final edition if he has another disappointing performance.  Gray can run as well as pass and he has a stronger arm than Joe Cox.

I thought the Bulldogs defense played all right versus the powerful Oklahoma State Cowboys offense, providing enough opportunities for the offense to score points and thus, to outscore the opponent.

Georgia-South Carolina always play close, defensive battles in recent seasons. Today, I expect a 20-17 or even a 13-10 type of game.

With both offenses so inept in week one, I joke about this game being 3-2. However, it’s not illogical to think that either team may struggle to score more than one touchdown against the other.

Today is a critical game for both teams, especially Georgia. To start off 0-2 probably means an 8-4 or 7-5 season for the Bulldogs.

A win today may mean a 10-2 or 9-3 season for the Bulldogs from Athens, GA.

Special teams, field position, the field goal kickers, and turnovers will tilt today’s game.

When these two squads square off, there really is no home-field advantage, as both teams show up with great defenses and struggling offenses typically.

The issue at Columbia, South Carolina is that the Gamecocks under coach Steve Spurrier start a season strongly, but weaken suddenly during the last month of the season, like they are out of shape, not mentally focused, etc.

Steve Spurrier is 64 years old and despite a general opinion that he has not coached greatly with South Carolina, he was won more games in four years than any previous Gamecocks coach in university history.

While Spurrier himself is far from being satisfied with his record with the Gamecocks, he has pride and wants South Carolina to improve and compete for the SEC East title.

I used to think that Spurrier signed with South Carolina mainly to play golf at exclusive golf courses, such as Hilton Head and Augusta National (about an hour drive from Columbia).

While that may be partly true, and who could blame him, he has made significant coaching changes this off-season.  The simple fact is no coach can find top caliber recruits in the South Carolina area like he used to in Florida.

I like Mark Richt a lot; he’s a very good head coach and a great man.  He was won two SEC titles, but perhaps his recruiting and coaching peaked around 2005.

Has Richt changed Georgia to become another Florida State University?  Other words, are his recruits more athletic and finesse than being fundamentally sound and physical?

My point is that a FSU/ACC style of offense is not a good fit in the SEC, especially against teams such as Florida, LSU, and Alabama.

Does Georgia’s defense go after the ball for interceptions?  Do the try to strip the ball and create turnovers?

Remember when David Pollack stripped the ball out of a quarterbacks hands and made critical plays to help his team win?

Remember the years when Georgia lost, but gave their best effort, losing 27-24 and not 38-13?

If the Georgia Bulldogs lose to the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight and proceed to have a mediocre season, will this be the beginning of the end for Richt?

Probably not, unless it is followed by a couple of other mediocre seasons.

Technorati Tags: Georgia Bulldogs,South Carolina Gamecocks,SEC,NCAA football,college football

 

Quote of the Day:
If it doesn't matter who wins, then how come they keep score?
--Vincent Lombardi

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.